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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25699927">Fondly Love The Stars</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/bioticbootylover/pseuds/bioticbootylover'>bioticbootylover</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Mass Effect - All Media Types, Mass Effect Trilogy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, Slow Burn, Walkthrough Fic</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 08:16:09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,240</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25699927</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/bioticbootylover/pseuds/bioticbootylover</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Commander Allison Shepard fights through the odds and every inch of the galaxy in order to save humanity. Along the way she makes friends, enemies and catches the eye of everyone's favorite Canadian.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Kaidan Alenko/Female Shepard</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I haven't decided if I'm going to do a total walkthrough or just a Kaidan and My Shep walkthrough but either way, have this very important kickoff to their story that works whichever way I go. Enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“Which one do you think it’ll be? I’ve got twenty on the eldest son.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Makes sense. If your father is an Admiral and your godfather is the Captain, why wouldn’t they put him here?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nah, I thought the youngest one’s godfather was Anderson. The one from the Blitz.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I thought the one from the Blitz was the middle one?” The crew of the SSV Normandy all stood around, discussing and gossiping about who their XO was going to be. They’d all heard it was going to be a </span>
  <em>
    <span>Shepard</span>
  </em>
  <span>, they just weren’t sure of which one. The Shepards had a legacy that went back for two generations though, all significant to the Alliance in one way or another. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alenko, you got any thoughts?” Lieutenant Collins called back to the biotic keeping quiet behind him. He was a good enough guy, but Collins knew he kept to himself most of the time and needed to be pulled into the conversation. He wasn’t sure if it was because he felt like an outsider due to his biotics or he was just shy but either way, he still liked him. “Ever met any of them before?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uh, once. The Admiral came onto my last ship, he was good friends with Commander Reynolds. He seemed nice.” Kaidan awkwardly scratched the back of his head as the group opened up to let him in. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Damn,” swore Ensign Cobb, tapping a rhythmic beat on the closest surface to him, a habit that Kaidan observed him doing whenever he wasn’t busy. “I dated a girl who said that one of them tried to sleep with her. He’s apparently a hell of a Casanova. I can’t remember which one it was though…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“TEN, HUT. The Captain is entering the bridge.” The crew of the SSV Normandy snapped to attention, all gossip halting immediately as they got into their lines and saluted him. Anderson met the eyes of each of the men and women on his ship, making sure that they were all paying attention to him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Walking through the bridge, Captain Anderson watched as the crew bristled with anticipation. He’d pulled hard to get who he’d wanted, throwing out everything he could to convince the others that she was the right person for the job. Humanity needed a hero and the Shepard he’d pulled for was the best that they’d had, even Hackett knew it.  “At ease, soldiers. I’ve brought you all here to introduce you firsthand to the newest crew member and executive officer. I know there’s been a lot of rumours and I wanted to put them all to rest and do this formally so there wouldn’t be any question about it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Out of the corner of his eye, Kaidan caught one of their fellow crew members mouthing ‘don’t forget my twenty’ to the two people next to him with a wink as Anderson continued on. “Regardless of this person’s family name, I want you to treat her with the same respect as anyone else.” Suddenly the crew came alive with a buzz as they all began talking about it. The Shepard family only had one ‘her’ that was in the Alliance, and even Kaidan perked up when he realized who it was. He’d never seen her in person, not beyond the blurry side pictures of her from the award ceremony after the Blitz. Raising his voice, Anderson continued on. “Please welcome Commander Allison Shepard.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Instantly every head on the bridge snapped around to where Allison would have walked through. The buzz wore off as soon as she stepped into view, going from excitement to shocked silence as they took her all in. The stories they’d heard of the soldier who’d risked it all to save Elysium, who’d gotten some of the highest scores during N7 training, who’d consistently won what were supposed to be ‘no-win’ scenarios...was not at all what they pictured. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>‘</span>
  <em>
    <span>She’s tiny</span>
  </em>
  <span>,’ Someone whispered at the front of the line. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>‘</span>
  <em>
    <span>Where’s the rest of her?</span>
  </em>
  <span>’</span>
</p><p>
  <span>‘</span>
  <em>
    <span>What did she lose her legs or something?’</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘She’s a </span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>woman</em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span>.’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Internally Kaidan cringed at the commentary his fellow soldiers were whispering among themselves, and not in the most quiet of tones. As she took her place next to the Captain, Kaidan examined her carefully. He couldn’t help but think that she was...dare he say, </span>
  <em>
    <span>beautiful</span>
  </em>
  <span>. A thick bun set at the back of her head with chocolate brown loose curls poking out in every direction, clearly not in the mood to be tamed despite her best efforts. Although he’d never verbalize it she </span>
  <em>
    <span>was </span>
  </em>
  <span>short, barely making it past Anderson’s shoulder though he had a feeling that part of that was the extra inch or so her boots added. Her skin was porcelain, smooth, with bright, piercing green eyes that took everything in. Her lips had a hint of a magenta coloring that he assumed was some type of makeup. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He could see the familiar resemblance to the Admiral he met previously, the same colour hair, the same bright eyes...if he recalled correctly they even had the same nose. Anderson seemed to look at her fondly with a small smile, which made sense if the rumours the crew had been discussing earlier were true and Andeson was her godfather. After a moment, he turned to her to ask if she had anything she wanted to say to all of them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>For a moment she looks unsure before taking a step forward to address them. “I...look forward to getting to know you all better and serving alongside you. If there is ever anything you all need, please know my door is always open,” she finished with her thick British lilt. Giving a small nod to all of them, she takes a step back next to Anderson before he goes to speak again. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“How about a taller XO?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The silence is deafening, eyes darting around to figure out who it was. In the front row a tall blonde shuffled from side to side smirking. Although everyone may have been thinking it, and a few of them having whispered it, not a single one would have dared to verbalize it to her face. Clearly this guy was wanting to be kicked out or in the mood to have his ass chewed out by Anderson to kingdom come. The Captain looked furious, taking a step forward as if to start his reprimand before Allison placed a hand on his arm and gave a small shake of her head. Wordlessly the two seemed to have an exchange, Shepard tilting her head towards the officer who’d run his mouth and Anderson giving a small nod as if giving her permission. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Climbing down the steps, Allie stopped directly in front of the soldier. “Name?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Brows raise in shock as if not expecting her to have actually responded. “Why? Looking for a date?” He retorted as the shock turned to a smirk. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t go for blondes. Name?” A few snickers erupted at her brush off before he responded again. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lieutenant Commander James Wilkins. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Ma’am</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Pleasure to meet you. Those behind might want to watch out,” she warned, giving a glance back before pulling her arm back and hitting him square in the nose. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What the FUCK,” he responded, falling back against the officer behind him who pushed him forward off of her and onto the floor. Kaidan’s jaw fell for a second in silence before he couldn’t help the laugh that bubbled up, and by the sounds of the crowd he wasn’t the only one. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You don’t have to like me but you WILL respect me, got it? And if you,” she whirled around to the rest of the crew, “or </span>
  <em>
    <span>anyone else </span>
  </em>
  <span>have a problem with it, you can get off the ship and find another crew to work with. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Understood?</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sir, yes, sir!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wonderful. Dismissed.” Turning on her heel, she stomped up next to Anderson who was wearing a giant grin. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You do know it’s my job to dismiss them, right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, well, next time. Told you this was a bad idea.” Anderson merely chuckled in response, patting her on the shoulder. Kaidan watched the exchange, still staring at the Commander whose pretty green eyes met his for a brief moment before turning back to return Joker’s introduction. Despite the fact that it had only been a moment, that brief interlude combined with everything else he’d seen had left him speechless. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Alenko, you coming? What’s wrong…” Collins went to tug him along but stopped at the look on his friend’s face. “Come on, she’s not that scary. I wouldn’t stare at her too much though, or you might be next,” Collins gestured to the officer that Shepard had punched out, currently being carried out by two others and whining about how his nose was broken. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nothing’s wrong, I just...did you </span>
  <em>
    <span>see </span>
  </em>
  <span>her?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We all saw her, Alenko. Everyone’s gonna be talking about it, why? Don’t tell me you’ve never seen a superior officer punch a subordinate, have you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No it’s just…,” again he glanced at Shepard, staring at the Commander as she laughed at something Joker said, her smile eliciting one from him. “I’m gonna marry her.”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Writing this without a second pair of eyes so please forgive any mistakes or typos!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Commander.” Allie nodded to the soldier as she walked towards the mess hall, trying to remember his name. Jenkins? O’Hare? Making a mental note to go over the crew roster again, she grimaced at the slow progress she was making. Despite the rather...short tempered way she’d introduced herself to the crew, Allison was determined to show them that she was good at her job and wouldn’t just punch the next person that pissed her off. It had been a one-off occurrence that they didn’t need to worry about.</p><p>She could hear the bustle and laughter from the mess hall before she even got there, a noise that suddenly hushed as soon as she came into view. For a very brief moment Allie paused at the entrance and wondered if she should come back at a less busy time...but no. She didn’t run from a fight and she sure as hell wasn’t going to run from her crew. Pushing her way through the crowd, she grabbed a tray of food and the last empty table in the back with only one chair remaining. Perfect, like they had left it just for her. Ignoring the rest of them, she dug into her food quietly while noticing that they were all still watching her. </p><p>“I’m almost impressed,” she started when the silence got to be too much. “Quietest damn crew I’ve ever heard. No wonder they call this a ‘stealth ship’.” It was a terrible joke, one that she almost regretted saying but something must have worked as the conversations slowly began starting up again. Occasional glances were still shot towards her but overall things seemed to resume to normal. </p><p>It wasn’t until she had finished her meal, halfway through nursing a cup of coffee when a small blonde got the courage to make her way over to Allison’s table. The woman looked nervous but apparently not enough to be completely scared off. </p><p>“Commander Shepard? I...I just wanted to say I’m glad to be serving under you. My sister was part of the ground team with you at Elysium and you saved her life. She told me about how a pirate had a clear shot and she should have been dead but you shot him before she had time to think.” Her voice trembled as if nervous at Allison’s reaction. The Commander didn’t move beyond taking a sip of her coffee, trying to remember the woman in question. </p><p>“...She was a redhead. Cara...Cara something…” Allie finally looked up at the woman and scrunched her nose, trying to remember. </p><p>“Bisset! Cara Bisset!” For a moment she looked shocked that Allie would remember but the expression quickly morphed into a smile. “She told me all about you. Said she’d never forget what you did for her and that if I was on the same ship as you that you’d have my back.” </p><p>“What’s your name?”</p><p>“Rebecca. Bisset. Petty Officer Second Class Bisset. Ma’am.” Rebecca saluted her, snapping to attention as if Allie had called for it. Instead the brunette merely placed her mug down and extended her hand to her. </p><p>“A pleasure, Bisset. I look forward to working with you. Tell your sister I said hello and I hope her knee is doing better.” Rebecca shook her hand eagerly, unable to wipe the smile off of her face.</p><p>“I will! Thank you ma’am!” It wasn’t until she returned to her table that Allison realized that the silence from before had fallen over the hall again, every eye on the exchange still trained on her save for the woman Rebecca was rapidly whispering to. Allison hoped that no one thought she had set up the meeting, having known several officials who had done that themselves. Paying lower class crewmen to make up some personal story in order to get on their crew’s good side to earn their trust.</p><p>Standing up in her seat, she held up her mug as if in a toast, making eye contact with everyone. “Carry on. I recommend the coffee if anyone is curious.” Still they followed her as she returned her tray to the pile of dirty dishes, murmuring an appreciation to those helping in the kitchen before refilling her mug and leaving the hall. </p><p>Everywhere she went, silence fell to a disheartening degree. Things were new and she was new and while Allison understood (and had probably acted the same on one of her own tours) there was something different about dealing with it while being in charge. Eventually without realizing it, Allie made her way back to the bridge a few feet behind their pilot. Clutching her coffee, she mindlessly watched the screens in front of him, completely thrown off when she heard him call out. </p><p>“Jeez! Anyone ever tell you to wear a damn bell?! See? This is why I need a mirror. Anderson has done this twice to me just this week alone and if everyone’s gonna play the ‘Sneak Up On Joker’ game then I want an advantage!” Allie took in the pilot with surprise before smiling at his remarks. It was refreshing to have someone talk to her without reservations and she couldn’t help smile. </p><p>“--Sorry. I’ll try to announce my presence next time.” As she moved closer to his station, Joker turned back to the screens.</p><p>“Please do. Or, get the bell, either works. What brings you to my neck of the woods, Commander? And before you ask, no, I won’t let you drive the ship.” Joker went back to the screens as Allie leaned against a wall, making sure there weren’t any buttons she’d accidentally press. </p><p>“Nothing, really. Just checking on my crew. Do you really get that question a lot?”</p><p>“You’d be surprised. One guy even asked if he could drive it over to his girlfriend’s apartment because she’d just broken up with him and wanted to do a grand gesture. Luckily he was a dick so I didn’t feel bad about saying no. You can sit over there if you want, just don’t touch anything.”</p><p>Again she chuckled while taking the co-pilot’s seat and glancing at the controls. “I wouldn’t dare. Especially not while I’ve got the...best pilot in the Alliance, was it?”</p><p>“Best Pilot in the Galaxy, really. But I don’t like to flaunt it. You ought to know something about that I would think, Little Miss War Hero.” Joker saluted her with two fingers, smirking. </p><p>Allie scrunched her face at the title. She’d hoped it had been long enough to where the title didn’t follow her everywhere but clearly not yet. “I didn’t ask for that title. That was Alliance given.” </p><p>“You didn’t turn it down either though. Is it a catch with the men? Does it help you nail more dudes?” </p><p>“I dunno, you tell me.” Widening her eyes as far as they would go, Allie leaned over the center console to bat her lashes and give him a coy look. “Did I mention I’m a war hero?”</p><p>Joker snickered, opening his mouth to say something but the moment was interrupted by a third party whose only sight when they walked in was Commander Shepard making flirty eyes and pouty lips towards their pilot. </p><p>A sight that Kaidan Alenko did not wish to see in a million years. </p><p>Frozen in shock, the Lieutenant stared at his Commander who was also completely still at being caught flirting. She only hoped that this could be explained away in some easy way that didn’t make her long like some airhead or woman that he wouldn’t respect. </p><p>“What do you think, Alenko? Does the Commander look more enticing? What about if I called her a ‘Hero’? Would that do it for you?” Joker laughed again after taking another look at Allison before she swiftly stood up and held out her hand. </p><p>“I...don’t think we’ve met properly. Allison Shepard.”</p><p>“....Huh? Oh...right...yeah….” In his head he understands what to do with the Commander’s small outstretched hand but his brain can’t seem to keep up past ‘she was flirting with Joker’. His own fault really, he never should have thought about her in any way other than his commanding officer, never should have even entertained the thought about anything else. Not a single one on one meeting between the two of them and yet he already felt the spark of what could only be called jealousy. </p><p>“You alright there, Alenko? Damn, Commander, I don’t recommend using the ‘h’ word around Kaidan anymore, seems to work a little too well.” It was Joker’s use of his first name he thinks that knocks some sense into him, glancing at the Commander’s closed hand as she lowered it. Quickly he extends his own to shake hers before he came across as rude.<br/>
“Lieutenant Kaidan Alenko, ma’am.” Taking a look at their joined hands, Allie can’t help but notice how his large, warm, tanned hand stood out in such blatant contrast to her own. </p><p>We’d make beautiful children, the thought slips through her mind before she can stop it and although no one heard her verbalize it, she can’t help but blush furiously at such an inappropriate thought towards a subordinate. There had to have been something wrong with the ship, it was the only excuse for the punching someone and the flirting with her pilot and the thoughts about having children with the beautiful curly haired man in front of her. Of course this wasn’t the best train of thought to have either apparently, as the blush deepened at the adjectives being used to describe her subordinate.   </p><p>“It’s...a pleasure. Well I should get going, lots of...Commander-ing things to do. Moreau, as always, glad for the chat.” Kaidan steps to the side to allow Allie to pass, only realising that they still have each other’s hands as she slowly slides hers out of his grasp. </p><p>Kaidan watches her as she walks away, hand tingling from her touch as he flexes his fingers. “She’s...something isn’t she?” </p><p>“Yeah she’s not bad. She’ll liven the place up a bit, especially after that whole thing with her punching that one guy. I’d love to know what ‘Commander-ing’ things are though. At least Anderson will be safe, he’s much prettier than she is.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>As always, comments are appreciated!! Thanks for reading!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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